Two-card sorting mechanism



3 E. R. MYERS 2,@59y265 TWO-CARD SORTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1935 5 Sheets-.Sheet l WITN ESS INVENTOR Nov.. 3, 1936.

WITN ESS www;

l E. R. MYI-:Rs

TWO-CARD SORTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i Y: INVENTOR ERMYERS my@ K TTORNEY Nov. 3, 1936. E. R. MYERS 2,059,265

TWO-CARD SORTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HI'III H ss lhllln.. s ,....Imlllllllmmllmm 4 o FIG] KABE f 5I .MYERS `Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES T OFFICE 4 Claims. (Cl. 209-1110) l This invention relates to machines for sorting perforated cards and more particularly to an improvement therein for permitting the sorting into the same group of a plurality of cards con- 5 taining interrelated data.

Heretofore sorters have been adapted to sense and sort perforated cards in accordance with certain specific data contained therein. These cards were sorted singly into pockets in a manner well known in the art and fully described and illustrated in the patent to W. W. Lasker, 1,476,- 161. In this patent an adjustable sensing head is positioned over a particular column of the card and the cards are then routed or sorted T-into pockets in accordance with the perforations in the selected column of the card.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a "device which will operate in conjunction with a sorter similar to that described in 20.3 the above mentioned patent for causing cards containing interrelated matter to be routed'to the same pocket. For example a name card containing a persons name, and a second card containing said persons home address may be routed to the same pocket although the data contained in the column being sensed may not be the same.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

(` Amore clear conception of the operation, construction and further objects of the invention may be had from the following specication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sorter showing the proposed device. K

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of the card sensing mechanism disclosing the invention in detail. y

Fig. 3 is a cross section through 3-3 on Fig. 1

showing the invention in sideelevation.

Fig. 4 is a cross section through 4--4 on Fig. 1 showing an end View of the sensing head.

Fig.`5 is a cross section through 5--5 of Fig. 3

showing one end of the carriage and a portion of the invention in side elevation.

Fig. 6 discloses a name and an address card punched for use with the proposed device.

Fig. '7 discloses a timing disk and gate oper- 50,:ating arm for use with the invention.

Fig. v8 is a detail cross section through 8 8 of Fig. 7. n

View Aof the fact that av detailed description of the construction and operation of a sorter ofsmgthis character may be had Lfrom the above menu l lowered with relation to the sensing chamber 3U.

' tholseQf vthe `unselecte'd pins (Fig. 4).

` cardfcontaining'; for instance, an address to foltioned patent only a short description of the operation thereof is thought necessary at this time.

The machine comprises a sensing chamber 30, a pin controlled sensing head 3|, the pins 48 of which are 'adapted to sense and penetrate perforationsrin the card thereby operating pin members located below the sensing chamber. These pins` `(notY shown) are adapted to operate triggers which control cam rollers 36 carried on timingdisksf34 `by Bowden wires 32. The trigger 10 disks are rotated in synchronism with feed rolls l I5 so that a trigger sets a cam roller 36 to cause the `opening of a card gate 58 just prior to the time that al card reaches the pocket selected.

A detailed description of the construction of 15 the sensing head having been given in the above patent, only those parts which enter into the operation of the present device will be described hereingusing in so far as is possible the same reference numerals for designating similar parts inthe description of the patent.

The sensing head (Figs. 3 and 4) comprises a pair` of plates 41 forming a box which contains twelve sensing pin members 48. The plates 41 pivotallysecured arms 11 the arm being caused to oscillate by` cams carried on drive shaft 13. 'I'he head members are mounted on posts 15 on which the whole sensing carriage is raised and 5 Whenthesensing head is lowered and one of the sensingpins 48 finds a perforation in the carditfcontinues on down whereas the other pins are elevated by the card until such time as the-latclhbar or bail 56 moves in over the latch- 40 ingshoulder .55 ofthe selected pin and under Further downward travel ofthe head causes the bail 56 to forc yIthfe pin 48 down causing the operation of the Bowden wire 42 thereby operating its asso- 45 ciatedjtriggen which in turn sets a cam roller 36"operating.the selected card gate. Up to this point 'the a` .l:)ove described operation and construction .is well known in the art.

The novel featurefof this device is to cause one while address card 2'1 is punched with the same 55 --by a link i2.

serial number and an address 1335 Twenty Six Av. W. Now, if, for instance, it is desired to sort a group of cards as to alphabet i. e. all cards containing a surname beginning with S, it is obvious that the address card would not go into the same pocket, due to the fact that the corresponding column in the address caid does not contain an S but an X. It is obvious that it is quite desirable, once name and address cards are together, that they be kept together while the cards are being sorted.

In order to do this, control holes are punched" in the cards which are adapted tobe sensed by the new device thereby causing the sorter to route the two cards into the same pocket. A control hole for a naine card is punched in the 12position of the rst column whereas a controlhole 29 is punched in the 9 position of the rst column of an address card.

The new device comprises a pair of plates 2 (formed as shown in Figs. 2 and 5), which are secured to thehead frame members '12. The plates form bearings for a rock shaft 3 having a squared or cam portion 4. Also secured to one f the frames l2 is a plate 5 having'secured to or formed thereona bracket 6 adapted to providey a.

pivot point for an L shaped arm 1. This arm` has a foot or lug formed on the short leg thereof which cooperates with a sensing pin 9 positien-ed over the 9 position of the 45th column. Secured to the underside of plate 5 is a bracket which acts as a guide. for pin 9. Secured to shaft 3 is a short arm member I I which is operatively connected to the upper or long leg of arm 'I The connection between the link I2 and the arm i i is formed by a wing nut to enable the disconnection of these members at will as will described hereinafter.

Secured to the plate 2 at the left hand of Fig. 2

Li0. is a bracket I4` formed as shown in Fig. 3, which is adapted to position alsensing pin I5 over the 12 position ofthe rst column. This sensing pin is operatively connected to rock shaft 3 by an arm i5 secured thereto. The sensing pin I5 is pivotally connected to the arm I6 `by a winged nut to-permit easy disconnection of these parts and removal of pin I5 for reasons hereinafter made apparent.

Secured to the right end of shaft 3 vas shown in Fig. 3 is an arm I'I (Fig. 5) having a limit pin 24 whichis adapted to contact with the undersideof plate 2 and thereby limit the rotation of shaft \3. Secured between the frame 'l2 and arm II is a tension spring I8` which is adapted to maintain pins 3 and I5 in their operative'position; Eachv of the pinshas a limit collar 23 formed thereon which prevents the pins being forced into the path of cards being fed in and out of the card chamber.

Secured to the rear side plate 4T is abracket I9 (Figs. 3 and l) on which is pivotally mounted an L shaped latch member 20, the upper arm of which contacts the squared portion 4 of rock shaft The arm is held in contact with the squared portion by a. tension spring 2l.V The lower leg'of Only one ofthe pins 9`or I5 is used for aparticular type of sorting. If the machine is to' be set for causing an address card to follow a name card, pin 9 is disabled by removing the wing nut connecting link I2 and arm II, and the link I2 an'd arm'l'are folded back until the long arm of I and the link IZ lie on the plate 5. If the pin ,I5y

7 .5l-.lis to be disabled as well, for'instance while using the machine for normal sorting, the wing nut connecting pin I5 to the arm I6 is removed, thereby permitting the removal of the pin.

In order to insure that the pocket selected by the first card will remain open until the following card can have time to reach the selected pocket, the card gate operating arm 35 must be longer than that heretofore in use.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an enlarged detail of a timing disk 34 and the new gate operating arm 35 in their operated position. The timing disk contains a number of pivotally mounted arms 31 carrying' cam rollers 36 pivoted thereon. The arms 31 are formed with a cam face 38 which is adapted to cooperate with the Bowden wire operated triggerfor operating the card gate, mentioned above and described in detail in the patent to Lasker. Pivotally mounted with each of the rollers 35 is a pin guided locking member 39 having a resetting lug 45 formed thereon. Pin 4I projecting, from arm 35 is. adapted to cooperate with lug li-forresetting the operated roller after two cards have beenadmittedto the: pocket. To permit the machine to be used for normalorsingle card sorting an arm 42 is pivotally mounted on arm 35, and carries a projecting pin 43fsimilar to pin 4i for resetting an operated cam roller after one card has been admitted to the selected pocket. Two holes 442 and 45 are provided in arm 35 in one of which aspring pressed pin 5() is adapted to be positioned. for positively locating the .arm 42 with .respect thereto. l

In Fig. '7 the arm 42 is shown in the inoperative position with the pin lpositioned in the hole 44. Whenit is desired to place the arm 42 in the operative position the pin 59 is withdrawn and the arm 42 lowered until the pin 5I) can be positioned in hole 45. With the arm 42 in this position the pinl 43 is inthe path of lug 40 thereby resetting the operated cam roller 3S after one card has been selected.

As-this'A device is-for keeping two cards ccntainingy related data together, it is vassumed that, when they are punched up, they are filed together. An easy an-d efficient method of giving a visual check for correct pairing is to use cards ofthe same color for similar data. For instance, with name and address cards the name card may be white or buff and the address card blue. By fanning or riiiiing the cards an operator may determine=at a glance whether the cards are in their correct sequence or not.

Inf-order to more clearly des 'be the ope: 'en of 'the machine, a series el functions wilii'be describe-d. A department store, using tabulators for billing, punches up naine and'address cards each'of which c'ontains'an account number (Fig. 6)'. AsY these cards are punched, they are'led away in pairs. If, however, through error or accident they shouldr become, separated, they may be grouped again by sorting' to the account number. In order to do this, first the name cards are selected by account number and the address card rejected by removing or disabling vthe con trol pin l5.

The sensing head is then set up tosense a series of account numbersappearing in one column and the cards are placed in the lmachine face up. When a lnaine card 'entersthe sensing chamber, the head descends andthe pin 9', not nding a hole 23"in the 9 position, is moved upward rocking theshaft 3 clockwise (Fig. 5), thereby camming latch Ztlout 'of the path'of pin 22.

a pocket will not be selected and the card is routed to the reject pocket.

When the above operation is complete, the contro-l pin 9 is disabled and the address cards are removed from the reject pocket and run through the machine in a normal manner being routed to the pocket in accordance with their account numbers.

If it is desired to sort name and their associated address cards to the firstv letter of a surname, i. e., S, the paired cards are inserted in the machine faceup with the name card on the botto-m and the sensing head is set up over the column containing the first letter of the name and the pins are adjusted to select only perforations corresponding to the letter S.

The address pin l5 and the roller restoring pin d3 are disabled in the manner described above and the machine started. The name card 26 being on the bottom, it is fed iirst into the sensing chamber 39 and the carriage'descends due to the action of the eccentric arms il. The sensing pins i8 and name pin 9 enter the card wherever perfor'ations occur. Of the pins 48, the 4 position pin passes through the perforation 5l and the 12 position pin passes through the perforation 5t. The 12 position pin has been disabled in the sensing head, however, so that only the il pin is effective. The remainder of the pins are forced 'up by the card or have been previously disabled. At the same time the pin 9, not finding a perforation 29 in the 9 position, is pushed upward rocking shaft 3 and camming latch 2li out of the path of pin 22. This permits latching bail 56 to move in and latch the 4 pin 48 in its operative position. As the carriage descends further the trigger for the #4 pocket is set and one of the cam rollers 36 on the disk 34 corresponding thereto is operated. The carriage is raised and the parts are restored to normal and the name card is fed out on to the rollers H5. As the card passes the 3 pocket and nears the 4 pocket the timing disk 34 reaches the position shown in Fig. 7 and the card gate 58 is opened admitting the name card to the pocket. Due to the fact that trip pin 43 has been disabled, the roller 3E remains operated and holds the gate 5t? open.

In the meantime the address card 21 has been fed into the sensing chamber and the carriage descends as before with the exception that sensing pin 9 now finds a perforation 29 and passes through. Due to this fact the shaft 3 is not rocked and the arm 29 remains in the path of pin 22 and the selected pin 48 is not locked down, therefore, no pocket is selected. When the card ZI is fed out of the sensing chamber, it follows card 26 into the #4 pocket due to the fact that the gate is maintained open as the roller 36 has moved to the position indicated in dotted lines on Fig. '7. As the roller passes the end of the arm 35 the pin 4l resets the cam roller through its action against lug 40.

When it is desired to sort to a certain address, the cards are pre-sorted, to position the address card on top and are then placed in the machine face down. The sensing pin 9 is disabled and pin l5 made operative. The operation of the machine is the same as that described above with the exception that the sensing pin l5 finds perforation 28 in the name card and no pocket selection is made and the name card follows the address card into the selected pocket.

It is apparent from the above that this device may be adapted for other operations than those described herein and is not limited to any particular system of operation.

While I have described what I consider to be a highly desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many changes in form could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of my invention as hereinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

i. In a machine of the class described, analyzing mechanism, comprising a plurality of sensing pins, a bail adapted to lock said pins in operative position, a latch device for rendering said ball inoperative, a rock shaft having a cam-face adapted to operate said latch device and additional sensing means for controlling said rock shaft.

2. In a machine of the class described, analyzing means for detecting a characteristic of a card, a receiving station for cards, a timing disk containing a plurality of cam rollers for controlling a gate operating mechanism for opening said receiving station to receive a card, setting means actuated by said analyzer for setting said cam rollers, a second card having different characteristics and containing a control hole, a sensing pin associated with said analyzer for disabling said analyzer under control of said control hole and an extended arm in said gate operating mechanism for maintaining said station open to receive said second card.

3. In a machine of the class described, analyzing means, a receiving station, a gate operating mechanism for said station comprising a timing disk having cam rollers selectably mounted thereon, said rollers cooperating with a gate actuating arm, means on said arm for resetting said rollers after two or more cards have entered said station and an adjustable arm pivotally mounted on said actuating arm, said arm in its operative position being adapted to reset said rollers after one card has entered said station.

4. In a machine of the class described, analyzing mechanism, comprising a plurality of sensing pins, a bail adapted to lock said pins in operative position, a latch device for rendering said bail inoperative, a rock shaft having a cam face adapted to operate said latch device, and a sensing pin for selectively controlling said rock shaft, said pin being operatively connected thereto.

EDWARD ROWLAND MYERS. 

